picked up my kettle project

picked up a 75 water buffalo wasn't the h1 or 2 i was looking for but really couldn't pass it up for the price. $600 bucks the motor is seized . I am hoping no damage to the crank. I have to weigh the options. I found a 75 motor with 12k miles also for less then $500 bucks so it would still be a matching motor. Needs a lot of re chroming wich can be expensive. All the chrome is there but not near show quality. I have 2 options go for the gusto restore it to stock. Or I could do a custom bike for much cheaper. All 77-79 gs 750 forks wheels mags rear disc brake set up fit the swing arm is a little longer but looks fine put a 1/4 ferring some chrome chambers polish the motor and cyls and be done.
I almost think i would be better off buying the used motor. I tend to go overboard when i start building a motor. They make a lot of performance parts wich can achieve over 100 hp streetable very in expensive.

 

u jammy git!!! personally i wd keep it original,but as u say,cost would play a big part in the decision.gd luck with it wotever u decide to do.and dont forget the updates,im looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

 

VERY sweeeet bike! A steal for only 600! I've always loved the consistant cooling that you get with water cooling and you're right, you can build a LOT of power into that engine, I know, I used to roadrace a highly modified GT750 back in the '70's. Since then, the racers have come up with a lot of new and better ways to mod the engine. We did a lot of mods but the powerband was only 800-1100prm wide depending on which cylinder block we installed which was dependent on the track which we were racing that weekend. not anymore, today they use spacers to raise the exhaust and tranfers and don't chop the powerband down to nothing....enjoy!

Congrats on the new-to-you bike!!

jeff

 

no matter wich way i go wont go far from stock looking no chopping on it. I do want to polish the cyls and all the covers really sets the motor off. The mags give it a more modern touch. I will save all the factory wheels swing arm ect. It can always be reinstalled.
Jeff your right put a spacer under the jug deck the cyl and your good to go. Project will take some time and i am in no rush with the garage coming and finishing the maxim x, Heck i have no room in the garage to even put the tank back on the virago so i can sell it. Can't even push one outside to work on another with 8 inches of snow out there. Its killing me right now im stuck inside. More ice coming on top of the snow. They dont take care of the minor roads here when it snows and i live at the top of a hill if i don't stop at the bottom will end up in someones living room.

 

LOL....how is it that I can picture that so vividly....feet dragging in a desperate attempt to stop...and it will be said of him-----the last that was seen of him was 3 tracks in the snow.................


Yes, that engine is a gem when it's cleaned up and polished.
Of course back in the day, we didn't worry too much how things looked, as long as it flew.
jeff

 

I agree with you jeff in my younger days i was the same way Did not matter what it looked like as long as it ran. Seems like as we get older we start to realize some of the dumb things we did when we were kids

 

I'm constantly amazed that we lived. In my teens and 20's, I was more then positive that I'd never see 40 much less 50something. I'm not saying how old I am but as a kid, I had a motorized Beannie&Cecil cap, the one with the spinning prop, and of course a switch to turn it on and off....can you imagine anyone producing that today? I remember when GP racing broke the 200mph barrier with the infamous TZ's that we always trailed and racing was getting more a matter of pure courage then actual skill. When you're spending your weekends doing that, you just don't expect a long and happy life. We didn't really think about it other then joking about it once in a while and I'm sure you and your friends were the same way. I don't think it was really dumb but more of a case where we had no penalty for getting hurt other then the pain. Once you have a wife and children, you have the responsibility for others so we stop doing those things. Now, looking back in this day of PCness and safety out the wazoo for everything, it's getting to be difficult for a young guy just to have fun or even a old guy once in a while.

Enjoy your bike and post up some pics once you have it the way that you want it. My youngest daughter and I went down to Dahlonega to pan for gold over the summer, that's a bit NE of you, right?

jeff

 

That's a sweet looking Suzuki. Hell of a deal!


What would this one have been called then, The Percolator? Smoked Yam?



http://www.classicyams.com/special-yama ... gl750.html

 

Hmmm, I've seen that one before, XS styling and a high performance four cylinder (as was the TZ750)water cooled two stroke engine...I would have called it.....PERFECT!


jeff

 

I started gathering parts but going to finish the x first. Getting the motor after the 1st of the month when i get paid same year so numbers match sn is 500 off mine. I figured it would be much cheeper to go that way.It is unbelievable how expensive parts are compared to an xj but have plenty of time to round up parts. will put them in a box til i am ready for them. There is a whole lot of motor there to polish. I have seen some nice water buffalos going on ebay for about 5k. I never remembered these bikes being so tall the seat is as high as the top of my hand rail on my maxim x

 

Be thankful Cutlass, that you aren't buying H2 parts if expense is an issue...whew!

I would have guessed that the siezed engine was only locked from time sitting all those years and a couple of ounces of well placed kriol would have unlocked it so you could rebuild it. I re-read the thread but still am not sure what the sn problem is. Have you got a list of production years/sn's? Typically, in the Zuks, Kaws and sometimes Yammies(depending on which model), the sn only have to be in the same grouping (frame/engine) to be considered "numbers matching". Honda was by far the best at matching actual frame and engine #'s.

If you are going to build the bike though, with fairing, cutting hopefully lots of pounds etc, the sn's matching won't do much to increase the value since it won't be stock anymore. That engine is a beast and can take a lot of mods due to the water cooling. The biggest task we had builing it into a roadracer was loosing weight. I thing we were just over the minimum by the time we were done racing as we continually modded the bike over the two year period. My partner had laughed when I told him we were going to cut so much weight, we were going to have to tie-wire lead under the crank...we never had to but we did get close!


Mach IV
750cc H2 1972 H2E-00001~ H2F-00001~ Pearl Candy Blue, Pearl Candy Gold
H2A 1973 H2E-23158~ H2F-23671~ Candy Gold, Candy Purple
H2B 1974 H2E-32401~ H2F-32201~ Candy Gold (Burnt), Candy Lime
H2C 1975 H2E-42827~ H2F-42547~ Candy Super Red, Candy Purple


Have fun with it!!



jeff

 

hey Jeff I bet the parts are just as expensive Chrome headlamp bezel $249 fenders $299 ea fork ears $199 ect granted some parts are cheaper that are still available at the dealer. I think i will get mine re chromed
I wish it was that easy with the motor. The p.o deals in kettle parts has a store on ebay even. He had the head off and didnt tell me he did. I can tell by the bolts loose broken exh stud cut upper hose cables off the carbs air box off. What i believe happend is the owner before pulled the carbs to clean them they pulled the rod from the oil pump to the carbs forgot to put it back on now its gone and ran it Its nothing but a little piece of welding rod with a threaded end but used its $59.00. I found a motor guaranteed to be good with the same miles sn very close to the motor that's on it for $425 which is cheaper then a top end rebuild. I dont trust the P.O he is a shyster he pulled a lot of the perfect parts off and put other back on so he could eBay them.
That is a big bike for sure it Dwarfs both yammies i have i would guess the seat height being ad least 31-33 inches. I am planning to ad least keep my eyes out for a set of chambers the do come up on eBay occasionally ad least till i find a nice set of original pipes By the way a nice used set is $1100 I am not going to hack on it if i can help it. Yea they can be made to run a pretty stout street able probably runs about the same as my x does. I am not looking to turn it into a hot rod.It will take away from the value saw 2 decent ones on ebay that sold for about 5k ea a lot more then kbb says its worth. I am not doing this project to sell i might not even ride it to much its something to look at like the looks of the older bike. I did find something interesting I can still get a new tank. Its primer i would feel better with a new tank on it. There is a bunch of bumps on the old tank that would take a small smear of bondo plus my tank has been lined and where you stick the pump hose in the top of the tank there are chips in the coating with a little rust i am not sure if it will start popping up when gas gets under it Dont like rust in fuel systems.
While i am waiting for my carb kits for the virago to come in i might take 10 min and pop the head off see what it looks like. I wont be able to see the crank but it will give me an idea more whats going on in there. I know to get the crank rebuilt straightened and welded its over $1500
I also wanted to ask you the stuff your putting in the crank housing is to soften the seals right. If i raise the piston above the exhaust port on the motor i am getting and fill it up that way 1 cyl at a time let it sit turn the motor back up and let it drain should work right i have a motor tilter so i wouldn't be filling the piston and dumping it back in the crank. I would hate to get it done and find out a crank seal is bad. Since you have to make a 1/2 inch steel plate into a puller just to get the cyl off

 

OK, now I have a better idea of what you are dealing with.

I hope those prices are for NOS!! That's crazy high and you're right, they match H2 prices. I usually keep my eye out for dirty but good condition parts that I can clean myself. I was able to get a set of GT750 fenders in perfect condition at a swap meet last year in PA when the owner had them on a table but didn't know what they fit. The GT750 and 550 both use the same fenders and I recognized them and bought them both, for 30 bucks!

"he pulled a lot of the perfect parts off and put other back on so he could ebay them."
I had something similar happen to me...bast**d pulled the perfect original pipes and put on a set that had road rash but there was no rash on the ends of the grips, foot pegs or anywhere else.....
lesson learned, there are pri*ks everywhere!


I agree that the new engine sounds like the way to go at this point. You now have 1100 invested so you can clean it and sell it, making a few dollars for the next project or you can choose to mod and build this bike the way you want it.

I have a guy in TX that builds my expansion chambers. He will build you a set for that bike for around 490 or 590 for a triple with no finish. He builds them to match my porting of high top end HP without losing everything on the bottom. I can't remember the exact cost but his name is Jon and the company is Jemco. He does good work and if you give him my full name. He will give you a little bit of a break since I've bought/referred others to him. Pic of his work is attached. On my GT, I painted them with BBQ paint and they look great and the upkeep is cheap and easy too. I also have a chrome guy who did a different set for me for my H2(so I could save my stock pipes) and he was cheap but did excellent work. I think the total cost for chroming was 450 and he's located in Md. The name of his firm is Polished Treasures and his name is Don. I have phone numbers for both guys, if you need them pm me.


jeff

 

that would be great will pm you chambers look great. I am planning on keeping the bike as a sunday driver i just want it to be close to perfect. I figured the chambers would be the way to go personally like the sound and the power gain. I will eventually find pipes in great shape. They can be set on a shelf and put on if i ever sell it. Your right the guy is a real Pr**k that i bought it from. He even took the baffles out pulled the gauges off and put a broken speedo on it. The miles might be close on it. actually my bike might have a little less. it does have the original tire on the front back looks like a tire from the 70s its almost new but will need replacing just because. Original chain and sprockets in good shape tabs have never been straightened out on the sprocket bolts
I am going to do like wizard did but with bikes that i like much better. wizard did an excellent job but all that work in an xs 500 and 650 i have had both they really did nothing for me. Looks like we have the same tastes in bikes. You can see the bikes i have had since 08 in 2010 i didn't do any due to health reasons can see them by clicking on the link in my signature
I wouldn't mind doing a 550 like yours or an rd or maybe another z1 next First need to finish the x. If i can ever get my possessed virago done the paint matches the bikes personality as seen in the pic

I saw this on eBay thought it was a pretty nice custom if i do go this way i would like to keep the stock seat and change the rear fender. The incorporated the gs 750 wheels and tires. Looks like the front forks also

 

aww cutlass... I bought a set of kettle pipes for 50 dollars, they were J&R or J&M, i forget, but i cleaned them up, and sold them for 400 shipped to a guy in canada, who im pretty sure is gonna repop them because he owns an engineering business...

theres a junk yard about an hour away from me with 1 kettle, a gt550, gt 380, and a 500 twin... the kettle also had the desirable front drum brake, which is very expensive... only to find when i came back a month later, someone got the front drum before i did

 

You have to be in the right place at the right time but they are out there. One of the reasons i bought this bike was for the disc brakes. I remember in the 70s just how bad drums stopped . Heck on the t250 i had it was scary at speeds the brake fade was awful. Not that drum brakes are bad for normal riding. But memories scare me

 

Yup Schooter, that 4 shoe front drum is still one of the most desirable front braking systems that you can garner on a vintage bike. The pipes were likely J&R since they manufactured pipes for the RD, GT's and H series and I've never heard of J&M.

Cutlass, I browsed through a bunch of your photos and saw the Z and the V and others. I've always gravitated more towards the 2 strokes and over time, sold my '75 Z1, GS850, 750,650's(hated that 850 since it was ungodly heavy) and began picking up my two strokes. I wouldn't want to just have a massive sale then go on a buying spree because I think that's what makes it fun for me, doing it one bake at a time. I met a guy from Brazil who had spent well over 60 grand in a months time building a collection. He had contacted me about a bike I was selling(pristine '79 GS750L) and told me his ebay ID. I wrote to him on ebay and talked about something we had talked about on the phone and it was really him...when I looked at his buying history, it showed he had spent that much on ebay alone! I have no idea what he had spent off of ebay. To me, that takes the fun out of it since it's so easy to become addicted to "possessing" instead of enjoying.

jeff

 

Hey jeff Most of those bikes were not even tagged The z1 I put together in 1993 I bought it from my aunt they were wheeler dealers with the flea market They traded something for it. It sat on their front porch since 1980 it was the ugliest bike i ever saw.The owner before them tried to turn it into a chopper i guess they pulled the exhaust off just had head pipes even had a coffin tank. I watched the thing for years finally i asked them. They sold it to me cheap the front brake worked all the cases were powder white from corrosion. It pealed the paint off the porch where it was parked it sat there so long . I put a 1045 kit in it tracked down a tank and restored it at the time i had a new zx11. Got a lot of compliments bike week on it.
But back to what i was saying. In 07 i swapped positions at work went from mechanic to operations. from 02 to 07 i was on call 24-7 by my choice didn't have time to do anything with bikes. In jan 08 i bought the vmax my brother wanted to ride so i bought that dusty kz 750 for him he hadn't ridden in 30 years. He did a low speed dump actually was turning around at idle in the coldesac did nothing to the bike he was scared of it. Traded it for a goldwing that needed a starter fixed it sold it. After a while it turned into a business. All those bikes came from a 1 time $750 investment where i bought the kz750. I had 5 bikes at 1 time. Made decent money in my spare time. I really don't know how much i made but it was a decent amount. The only bike i paid retail for was the vmax. I was making money on working on bikes something i loved to do. in Fall of 09 when i got sick i kept ignoring the signs from the treatments i was getting i Bought the x the Dr kept telling me i was gonna get better but i was getting weaker and weaker finally in 3-2010 i was done thought i had a stroke couldnt stand up ended up in the er. They told me the treatments and drugs were killing me and my body was shutting down. To make a long story short went to another dr come to find out all the treatments and prednizone was for nothing they treated the wrong thing What i have was only made worse and there is no treatments for it. I wasn't supposto walk again. December i had a big bone spurr removed from my ankle Been out of the cast almost 2 weeks I am up and walking again so i will be able to ride. Will take a while to get back to normal and turning wrenches again is making my hands stronger again also. All that went on last year forced me into retirement but i bring home over $500 a month more then when i was working. But let me tell you something it really sucked going from being healthy to being handicapped in a few months period my hands were so weak i couldn't lift a dish awful feeling now doing more starting to feel better. Its going to take a little time but will get the maxim done in a few months when my garage is finished. Mean time i am starting to gather kettle parts so i have them

 

Wow, that's a terrible turn of events. My ex wife(Affectionately known as TOB) had a kidney problem and she was put on very high does of prednisone and you're right, that is not a drug to fool with. I thought I was living with the Exorcist! It was bad for me and worse for the kids.

I hadn't known that you are still recovering or that you had been so sick. I hope you continue to get better. We need every Vintage builder we can get out here.

I don't remember the 1045 kit for the Z1 although I helped a friend (meaning I did all the work while he watched) install a 1075 kit in his. He wanted to race and had the Z and a KZ650. I had told him that his engine in the Z1 was a tractor and made plenty of power and would work just fine but to stay away from racing the 650 because of the spitting shims I had seen at the track the previous year. Evidently, if overreved, they would spit them right out causing catastrophic damage. Anyway, we installed the kit then he changed his mind because he didn't want to take the chance of crashing his bike. LOL

I would love to quit my job and just build, buy & sell bikes instead of getting up at 3:15am everyday but I like knowing where my next meal is coming from and knowing the mortgage is going to be paid on time every month so for me, it will continue to be a hobby.

Take your time and don't push yourself too hard. A lot of guys take 2, 3 even 4 years to gather the parts and to do a restoration. You've got lots of time but you also have to preserve your health so you can finish the project cause afterall, I want to see the pics when your done!!

jeff

 

hey jeff the 1045 kit was the biggest you could get for a 900 without re sleeving adleast thats that wiseco said. It was a fun project hopefully the suzuki will be also.
Soon as i get my income tax back probably in feb will call the guy on the chambers.
yes i was very sick they originally treated me for perriferral neurapathy they put me on 60 mg a day of that poison to bring my immune system down. I had what they call ivig treatments iv human antibodies for short. the prednisone turned me into a bad type 1 diabetic did not matter how much insulin i shot up couldnt keep the sugar under 300 until the pills wore off then it would go low what a roller coaster lost 40 lbs. the side effects from the drug were bad plus my legs filled with so much water the blistered and popped . I kid you not i had kotex over the blisters was loosing a pint of water a day this went on for 8 months. The got infected several times ended up in the hospital 2x a week at a clip. The side effects from the ivig was blood clots had them to. Soon as i tapered off the prednisone it all went away Ended up i have CMT charcot marie tooth disease went thru all that crap for nothing .
I used to get up at 4 left for work at 5 worked 7-7 got home at 8 did it 6 months days 6 months nights before i retired don't miss it
But anyhow thanks for the numbers. Will keep upating as i go. Picked up a perfect guage set mounting brackets and all even the gear indicator off ebay it only shows 6k where mine is 12 but who cares. Its not worth trying to fix the old one it shows im going forty sitting still lol plus the trip stem is gone just a hole where it was

 

jeez cutlass, and a pita that must have been... poppin blisters is only fun for a little bit, then they hurt...

but i do hope you have fun with the bike, seems these gt's have parts like the frame, and motor, and such that are made from lead, but it cant ever be found...

 

lol try having them the size of silver dollars and the won't heal just keep pouring water talk about stinging. But i am able to walk again after 8 months getting stronger every day
Already found a motor for it with 12k waiting for the next pay check shipping is a b**ch. Rest of the parts are there just need a little re chroming.

 

That def does not sound fun. I think I would have shoved my foot so far up someone's arse that they would have been chewing shoelaces had I gone through all that because of a misdiagnosis!!

If you are waiting a bit before you begin working on it, is there any way you might want to wait and keep looking in your general area for an engine instead of popping for the $ + the shipping? I'm not sure what kind of timetable you're on but you know that given enough time, another will pop up...maybe it will be closer to you.


jeff

 

hey jeff there is only 1 place in the area to get any parts for it and that is the guy i bought it from he deals in them. Of coarse he is a pilot for delta so if there is any good deals in the us he is there. Personally i would rather junk the bike then buy 1 part off him. I really thought about buying the cheapest part in his ebay store and writing bad feedback just to mess up his 100 percent rating. people do not realize he is a shyster when they buy stuff from his store because it looks pretty they get it write his feedback then they realize they have been had To give you an idea top part of the crank case no jugs or nothing he wants 150 bucks .
I can get the motor for $400 shipping $165 i really cant find a low mile motor for that. And i can't drive 700 miles each way for $165.
hopefully i will be able to get it in a few weeks my puppy has to have an 1100 dollar surgery on his eye lids thats gonna slow things down for the garage and bike but if i sell the virago and get a good income tax check will be on track again. When i get the motor i have plenty of time to finish the other bike make the motor spotless paint and polish the whole motor as well as change the water pump.

 

You would think that a guy with an income as high as his is being a pilot, he wouldn't be such a rip-off on his parts. Either he places more value on them then they are worth which is why he charges so much for them or he knows darn well he's overcharging and doesn't care. Either way, leave him alone is my advice...vengence will only eat at you and sure won't change him. Just back away from him and find another source. Once you get into the bike, let me know what you need and I'll help you find the parts for reasonable costs. Certianly don't reinforce a rip off artist by purchasing from him, we'll find what you need at cheaper prices.

Just out of curiosity, where is the engine that you're thinking of buying? Anywhere close to MD?

You can save yourself 1100 bucks by doing the surgery at home. All you need is a needle and thread and some orajel to numb them up for puppydog......let your wife or GF hold the puppy while wearing welding gloves and bingo, you're golden<LOL>!!!

jeff

 

i just don't know how he sleeps at night. I would not but thats the difference between an honest business man and someone like that.
Unfortunately the motor is in Ohio I added up the cost of gas vs shipping and its cheaper to get it shipped. Once i get it i can lay low for a while and keep my eyes open. Will have plenty to do if i get board working on the maxim. I can break away for a day or two and do some polishing. I am going to pull the covers off my old motor and polish them that way they will be ready. The hardest part is going to be polishing the cyls and head thats gonna take some time.
I wish that was so easy with the puppy poor things gonna go thru hell but its better then going blind hate seeing him with his eyes closed so much.

 

Is it a shih-tzu or a yorky of some kind? My dad had this tiny shitzu (my name for it) before he died a few years back and it had severe eye problems. They opted for surgery and a year or so later they bought it two glass eyes. Of course it was blind as a bat but the glass eyes were for my parents so the dog didn't look weird<LOL>. Then my older sister moves in to help care for my folks since they were getting old and she brings her dog, another shitzu! It also had eye problems but with her not being able to afford the glass eyes, "ernie" used to walk around with just his sockets...kinda gross but he was one tough little dog!

ok, enough dog stories from me.....

jeff

 

just waiting for 1 more w2 after i file my taxes that motor will be mine. I had to post this pic your probably 1 of the few that can appreciate it

 

I picked up a 75 GT750 Water Buffalo this past fall. Has been in a garage since 1982, and it only has 6,000 mi on it. Gonna get started cleaning it up this summer.

Dave

 

Kool glad to see i am not the only one doing one. Parts are expensive but the retail prices are shooting out of site on them. Here is a sight with a lot of info on them if your interested
http://www.suzuki2strokes.com/forum/ind ... 77d43317d2

 

That def caught my eye!! That thing must absolutely ROCK! Those super short expansion chambers (I can see the header for what appears to be the center cyl heading out to the other side of the rig) will keep a very low RPM ceiling which matches the stock porting well and if the owner raises the tranfers a mm or two, it will REALLY pump up the midrange by moving it down from what remains at the top end.

I'll bet someone comes home from their rides with a huge grin on their face.....thanks for posting the pic!

jeff

 

wow, thats sweet. and btw cutlass, ive got a rolling banshee frame in my barn if you ever want to do that

 

Hey cutlass79500, I just posted a pic of it in my gallery. Check it out. The tall backrest, the straight up windshield, and everything.........oh yeah, the six airhorns that just scream "DORK" all over them <LOL> Obviously they will be removed.

Dave

 

Het dave looks like you got more to work with then i do. I do have to say the sissy bar luggage rack need to go. Unless you like the look. The air horns you could tell people its a prototype ram air system lol. All i can say is no comment on them. The picture looks like its brown which is not a factory color but it has factory stripes so i gather its gold. Your definitely looks like there is more to work with then mine But it will be a fun project i think
Dave

 

If i had a rolling frame you can bet i would have the welder out and would be putting some big motor in it . Bigger is always better.

Jeff i saw a top end on ebay fresh bore .40 wiseco pistons with rings. I am watching it if it doesn't go to high i might snatch it up . Right now the bid is $100 hopefully it will stay low. Would be a great candidate for a spacer and block deck.

 

Got a very nice gauge set speedo water temp tach all the chrome bezels instrument panel gear indicator plug and play everything works for a cheap price so i snatched them up. Starting a tote for gt parts now to keep them all together

 

nice.

dave

 

Looks like the gt project is going to happen after all. I had pretty much made up my mind after seeing all the stuff the scam artist changed out good parts for bad that i was just going to sell it as is. But yesterday looked in cl someone had a 750 motor less ignition and exhaust totally rebuilt guys hurting for money offered him $100 bucks for it and he took it. Has good compression turns over good. The pts cover broke from the wreck but thats it . Picked it up today Heck it even had carbs on it

 

way to go. I'm still waiting for the previous owner to cough up the titlefor mine.

 

one thing good about GA you don't need a title before 86

 

Hmm...... amaybe I should get done in GA and then transfer a title to up here!

Dave

 

This is a good state for that you can go anywhere buy a bike without a title as long as there are no liens on it you can register it but they will not issue you a title but it has to be 86 or older. But who really cares people don't even ask for them down here

 

Good deal Dave!

I knew that you really had your heart set on that project. You were very disappointed when it turned out that the P/O had taken advantage of you to the point of not being able to complete the bike so this is especially good news. The RD's are fun bikes, some of te best but the GT750 on the otherhand is really an engineering marvel for it's day and a nice bike to build to stock, mod or do anything else that you want to with it. The biggest difference between it and these XJ's is that it will have real value on the market when your done. You know what they are going for now and it's only going to go up!

Let me know if you need anything in particular and if I don't have it, I might know where to get it on the cheap!

jeff

 

Hey jeff how well do you know the motors. Reason i ask This motor supposedly came off a drag bike with a few passes chain came off broke the chain cover and knocked a hole in the cover on the front side of the chain causing him to wreck looks like the alt cover. There is no oil coming out and looks like chain krud laying there. Did compression check its low i think its from sitting the past 4 or 5 years. Between 70-90 lbs with the throttle closed. Sprayed a little wd40 it looks like its coming up. I need to use some regular oil let it sit a few days then try it. It was stored inside without plugs in it. I did the compression check with the starter not kicking it starter doesnt seem like it turns the motor nearly as fast as a swift kick would. When you turn it over by hand its nice and smooth no rough spots. I have to look at it also looks like. there is a very thick base gasket cant tell if it has a spacer without investigating.
I might be able to get a better look later i am taping and prepping the frame on the maxim x for paint

 

Just a side note - why do a compression test with throttles closed??
The helicopter mechanic who's fixing my friends GoldWing was doing compression test w/closed throttle also. Got 100-110. He said he was looking at other things. I asked that he open the throttle, just to humor me, and he got 150's. Am I missing a technique here??

 

when your 1 person with the motor on the ground you can only do so much.The way the cables hook up there is nothing you can wedge in there. I am not real fond of sticking a screw driver thru the carbs and holding the butterfly open. Takes 2 hands just to hold the Battery cable and the charger cable. I am going to pull the carbs in a few days later today i will put a few drops of oil in the cyls let them sit work them up and down for a few days to clear any rust that might have formed. I dont see any rust but i am sure there is a little just looking thru the exhaust port. i can see 1/2 the piston thru it big port

 

Dave,

I used to build our roadrace GT so yes, you could infer that I'm a bit familiar with the engine. Sounds like you have a hole punched into the tranny housing. You can repair that with J&B but use a wire brush on a drill motor first after washing the area to get it sparkling clean or your J&B fix, will not hold.

Listen Dave, before you go grinding that rust(from sitting without plugs) into your cylinder walls, pull the block off and check the crank and rods. ESPECIALLY if the engine has possibly been modified!!! You could have stuffers down there and not know it. You could also have stroker rods and God knows what else. It's too nice and engine to be in a rush to hear it run. This is one case where you def want to take the cautious route at least until you know what you have and what your port timings are.

The fact is, is that I've NEVER seen a drag engine change hands without the "it only has a couple of passes on it" being sold to the new owner along with the engine. I'm afraid that without tearing it down, you just won't know. Also, it's been ported for drags, it's easy to make it more streetable but you still have to know what the deal is with it today before you can start. With that engine, if the transfers are raised, it moves the power down the rpm range so some builders placed spacers or multiple base gaskets to raise the bottom edge of the transfers then built up some weld on the roof, effectively raising the rpm where the most HP would be made, this was usually done with raising the exh port several mm and shaving the intake side of the piston.

A word of warning, that engine has all three cylinders in a one piece block, when you remove it, it's heavy and the bottom surface is easily marred and damaged. Place a large, folded towel next to your engine to use to set the block on so you don't damage the mating surfaces.

Sounds like you might have a real piece of gold there with some of the mods already completed for you!! Too bad you are so far away, I'd love to help you tear it down and build it....that would be a blast!



TTR, checking the compression with the throttles closed was actually taught back in the 70's. It was later found that TECHNICALLY in four strokers, that valve overlap was causing inaccurate readings. I've worked with mechanics whose names you might recognize back then that swore by the closed method on 4 strokes and open on two strokes. Either way will work however you must be consistent throughout the testing and be sure that you cycle the crank enough times to top out the readings. Personally, I open the throttles on all of the time as I haven't found that the "valve overlap issue" causes enough of a difference for anything less then a fully blown, nitrous fed, prostock engine.


jeff

 

Your right on the motor i just don't know whats been done or if anything . All i know is he must have been putting the power down when the chain came off. It destroyed the chain cover it twisted it took the whole top out of it took some small chunks out of the top of the case where the s.n. is but no damage into the sprocket side going into the trans. There is no fixing the hole in front of the sprocket its the size of a quarter. I could be mistaken but i think the cover is replaceable Its the cover that goes around the stator and covers the starter gear but i could be wrong. I can use the one off the other motor if it is. Later i will try to take a picture of it. The sprocket is awfully small which tells me he was on it to wrap the chain in the cover like that. If the compression comes up which i think it will i will fire it up. If the whole is in a non replaceable cover i will pull it apart put the the crank and top end in my motor if everything checks out. I know its been apart like i said looks like an awful thick base gsk. They painted the chrome head bolts black. He said it was 73 I have to check the motor vin to find out. I know its before 75 it does not have the rubber head bolt washers but has cv carbs so it is either a 73 or 4. The oil pump rod is still connected but from what i hear Suzuki has the best 2 stroke oiling system. I guess its because it injects into the crank and the cyls. But if it was a drag bike most people premix. We will see. I really have not looked hard at it been working on the maxim relentlessly all afternoons and a few hrs at night. I hope to start painting today i am trying to get the motor and frame painted so i can get it mostly together the rd gets here on the 22nd. The problem right now is i have to do all my painting inside. The pollen is very high about 3500 or so so everything outside turn white with pollen then on top of it the pine pollen .If you spray water on the driveway you get a yellow stream of water.

 

Uh Oh, super small sprocket on the front....cheap drag racer. Everyone knows, even a old rr guy like myself that it's better to go larger on the rear then smaller on the front. The front is much cheaper though but greatly contributed to the chain breaking since it had to make that vewry, very sharp turn!

Even the drag guys would leave the SRIS system and stock oiling system in place, and still run premix. The stock oil lubes each of the main crank bearings so it's added insurance. They leave it in place at the stock or lower setting then use the premix to lube the cylinders.

Dave, go ahead and finish the other bike so when you get to this one, you can focus on it and not have to switch back and forth or you'll make youself crazy!

A QUARTER? Piece of cake to fix that...I'll pm you how to do it. I had to fix holes in my CM400A's collector and left side muffler that were a lot bigger and they held fine with my method.


jeff

 

hey jeff thats what my plans are on the bike. I learned a while ago do 1 project at a time that way you can keep all the parts together.Infact i am planning to wd 40 the whole bike and put it in one of my storage bldg out back where i keep the tractor trailer and all my spare parts. It has no leaks its 2 feet off the ground with a wood floor. It will probably be winter before i get started on it hopefully by then i will have my 12x24 little bike shop. I probably have a month or 2 left on the maxim. Plus the rd gets here in 12 days will be spending a lot of the summer cleaning and polishing it. Plus i have to pull all the nails out of my deck and replace them with screws which will be a long task considering my deck is 16x36 tired of having to pound 3 inch nails in when the dogs are playing on it.( my smallest puppy is 70 lbs 120lbs and 184 lbs) might as well try out the big pressure washer i got off cl and stain it at the same time